If all this time the real problem was no control of dash light dimming ..
or no dash lights ..
( not having noticed the word 'dash' lights ever I didn't even know all
this time it was about the dash lights ) ..

it would not be hard to just get 12 volts connected to the gray/blue
dash wires..
I never turn down their brightness them anyway.

On 1/19/2013 11:50 PM, Tom Stone wrote:
> After a number of assurances from list members that disassembling the
> headlight switch was the way to solve my failed dimmer problem and
> after all the pointers to possible sources of new switches turned up
> nothing, this fool rushed in.
>
> I am on vacation in Florida so did not have the usual set if tools at
> my disposal.  Using a paring knife, I carefully pried out the edges of
> the bottom of the switch and freed up the plastic plate with the switch
> pins on it.  I lifted it out and turned it over.  There were a few
> burned spots on some of the contacts so took a sharp pointed object and
> brightened up the contacts.  Still inside the switch was the slider and
> the other parts of the contacts.  Don't try this at home, kids, but I
> turned the switch over in the palm of my hand and was blessed with a
> handfull of 10 springs, three contact pieces, a ball bearing and the
> now naked slider.  I put the springs and other parts in a small bowl.
>
> I examined what was left in the switch base.  Recall that my original
> problem was that the dimmer, which supplied power to the dash lights,
> had an open circuit.  I could see no breaks in the rheostat wires but
> saw that the piece with the windings on it could be removed from the
> switch. I removed it even though I saw no problems. I also noticed that
> the wiper arm of the rheostat appeared to be making good contact with
> the windings.
>
> To be as prepared as possible to work on all the problems on my son's
> van, I had brought a spare dash from an '86 from Ohio with me. I
> removed the headlight switch from it and took it apart.  I carefully
> noted how the springs, ball bearing, and contact pieces went together.
> I removed the previously checked out rheostat winding piece and placed
> it in the '91's switch base.  Then, as the manual says, reassembly is
> the reverse of disassembly.  I took the bowl of parts and placed them
> in the appropriate places on the slider after brightening up all the
> contact pieces.  I figured out how to install the slider on top of the
> ball bearing without losing the ball or the tensioning spring. After
> the tenth try, I reinstalled the bottom plate with the pins on top of
> the slider and locked the edges into the switch base. I clicked the
> switch on and off and it felt normal.  I inserted the switch in the
> socket, turned on the key and checked the lights.  To be continued......
>
> Actually, everything worked.  I was pleased with myself.  Thanks to the
> encouragement from list members and the necessity that my son's Westy
> be as safe as possible, the job was successfully completed.
>
> The other major tasks of getting the van in shape were replacing the
> power window motor on the passenger side and redoing the grounds. The
> van was getting around 8 mpg.  Both those tasks went well with positive
> results.  Of course, I found a long list of other things needing
> attention but Isn't that what Florida vacations are for?
>
> Thanks again,
>
> Tom
>